Mobile telephone messaging networks commonly provide short text messaging capabilities such as, for example, a standard Short Message Service (SMS) that supports transmission of alphanumeric messages between mobile telephone subscribers and other short message devices. Current standards provide for message lengths up to 140 bytes for single messages. For example, a short message (e.g., “Please remember to pick up the dry cleaning”) may be sent from a first wireless phone to a second wireless phone and may appear on a display of the second wireless phone.
A number of protocols exist that can be used to transmit SMS messages. One such protocol is the Short Message Peer to Peer (SMPP) messaging protocol. This protocol was published as “Short Message Peer to Peer Protocol Specification” (version 3.4, Issue 1.2, Oct. 12, 1999) (available at http://www.smpp.org/). SMS messages may be routed between a mobile telephone messaging network and different SMS data applications via an SMPP gateway.
Current SMPP interfaces for SMS applications are robust; however, the SMPP protocol is not well known and requires specific knowledge of the underlying wireless network and its technology for successful implementation.
Therefore, there is a need for a system and method for providing a simplified interface for sending and receiving SMS messages by wireless subscribers using a SMS application.